Coaster wagon



1,637,614 A 1927' w. R. KOHLER COASTER WAGON Filed May 29, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet l.

W. R. KOHLER COASTER WAGQN Aug. 2, 1927.

3 Sheets-Shoot 2 Filed May 29. 1926 l l g gal/22g;

Aug. 2,1927. 1,637,614

w. R. KOHLER COASTER WAGON Filed May 29. 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 a L-ZIIIIEI-ZIIIIIZ-EEIIIIIE-I-IIIIIIIIZ-IIIl----i--- 4 IIIII-IIIIIYHIH I llllllnllllllll Patented Aug 2, UNIT ED STATE TENT OFFICE. I

[WALT ER 3a. KOHLER, or JANESVILIQEQWISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR 'ro JANEsvILLE Pnon- 'UcTs COMPANY, or .u NEsvILLE, isconsin, A CORPORATION F WISCONSIN.

Y COASTEB. WAGON.

Application filed May '29,

This invention relates particularly to wagons of the type ordinar ly employed by children, and known as coaster wagons.

The primary object of the invention isto provide an improved wagon of thistype equipped with improved steering' means. The invention is illustrated in its preferred embodiment in the accompanyingdrawings,

' Fig. 1 represents a plan view of a coaster wagon constructedin accordance with the iiivention; Fig. 2, a bottom yiew, of the the -wagon; Fig.j4;, a similar sectional.

body of the wagon, illustrating'the manner in which the front and rear steeringde.

vices are geared together;:Figi 3, a front end. elevational view of "the" improved wagon; Fig. i, a broken vertical longitudinalgsectional view of the front portion of View of the rear portion of the-wagon on a reduced scale, the section being taken as indicated at line t 'ofFig. 1; Fig. "5,-a

broken vertical sectional' view on an en la-rged scaleythe section being takenfas 'indicatedat of Fig. 1;Fig. f3, a broken;de--

tail View illustrating the manner in which the steering handler is connected with thefrontsteering post; Fig. 7, a brokenvertical sectional View taken as indlcated at 11118 "7 of Fig. 5; and Fig. 8, a broken vertical Q sectional view'taken as indicated at line 8 I the steering mechanism.

' 'front' axle A" ofFigbt, this view showing the steering "handlefapplied to the rear steering post of In the embodiment illustratethA designa-tesa pair of fi'ont;wheels mounted on a B, a pair of rear wheels mounted on a rear a leB"; Cfafbody inounted on said axles; D, a front steering post-having its lower end fixedlysecured equipped with a pivotally mounted socketj dlewhich is interchangeably member D; 'E, a rear steering post journalled in therear portion of the body G and.

f equipped at its upper portion with a" socket member ET F, gear mechanism connecting the steering posts I) and E so thatthey will tur n'in unison; and G, a steering han-- mounted, that is, adapted for 'connectioneither with the pivoted socket-member D 'ofwthe front,

, steering post or with the rigid socket member E of the rear steering post. e I In "the illustration given",- the front por- 1926. SeriaI No. 112,552.

pl'ate 1 rests upon a turn-plate 3 with which the front axle A is equipped. The

' steering post D extends freely through the platel and is rigidly secured to the axle A so thatthe axle must turn with the steering post.

The wagon body G preferably comprises a, rectangular platform, or bottom -1 equipped with side-mcn1bers 4., a front crossmember et", and "a rearcross-member 4. f

The front and rear members 4* and 4 are placed some distance from the end of the platform, thus providing a front extension 5 and a ii'earextension 6 of the platform.

.2, The steering post D has its upper end journalled .in the front platform-extension 5; and the rear steering post E isjournalled fin thc rear platfor1n-eitension 6.

z The braces 2 support the front end of the body Cat a distance above the front axle.

The rear portion of the body is equipped back of the rear platform-extension 6 with a pair of depending side-members? which are rigidly connected at their .lower ends with a lower platform-member, or step, 7. The step TSis supported upon the rear axle l3 and is suitably connected with the axle by fastening clips 8. The side pieces 7 rise a suitable distance above the step 7? to support the rear end of the wagon-body at about the same height that the front end is supported by'the braces 2. I

The rear steering post E is additionally journalled in metallic supporting-strips 9 and ,9 secured to the rearplatform-exten- ,sion 6.

flhegear mechanism F for connecting the front steering post and rear steering post E so they will turn n unison comprises, in the illustration given, gears 10 and llfixedly se- .cured to said steering posts, respectively;

and a handle-chain connectionlQ connecting said gears. @Any other suitable means for causing the steering posts to turn in unison may be'eniployed. f

The steering knuckle, or socket-member, l), is shown uscomprising a tubular memher- 13 equipped at its lower end with fur cations 13 which are connected by a pivot bolt 14: with a knuckle-member 15 which is l6p'referably is tubular. Itis provided at rigidly secured to theupper end of the steerits lower end with a transverse groove 16.

;Also,'it isprovided a short distance above its lower end with a transverse perforation 16 and, at a higher po1nt, t is provided with a parallel transverse perforation 16. The, perforation 16' 1S adapted tov register with a perforation 18 with which the tubular portion 18 of the socket-member D'is provided; and the perforation 16is adapted to register with a perforation 19 with which "the upper portion of the rear socket-member E is-provided. Acotter pin 20, connected by a chain 21 with the shaft of the handle, is

adapted to secure the handlebar in either socket, depending upon. whether a front or rear drivelsdesired. The manner in which the interchange can be effected froiu'the front socket-member, as shown in Fig. 6, to'the rear socket-member, as shown in Fig.

8, will be understood without further description. Itinay be added, however, that when the steering handle is applied tothe rear socket-member, the shaft extends fur ther into the socket-member than is "the case @when the steering handle is applied to the front SOCkGt-lIlQlllbBlf By this provision, the

steering handle is of suitable length for steering purposes when employed atthe front end of the wagon and is alsoofsuitable'length for drawing the wagon. On the other hand, when the steering handle is applied to the rear steeringpost, it is to be understood that it extends vertically-and is rigidly upright,

while capable of turning the rear steering post, and, thus, through themedium of the gear mechanismF, turning the front steering postsoas to effect steering of the wagon.

It may be remarked further; that the depressed'platform, or step,'(' has no obstruction above it. That is, the step is accessible from the rear and the space above the step is open; Thus, a boy may, if he desires, stand upon the step; or, he may place one' footnpon the step and propel the vehicle with 'the other foot: while resting his hand upon the cross-bar of the steering handle, as-f sumin'g the steering handle to be applied to V the rear steering socket.

If desired, thesteering may beeifected by aboy s1tt1ng=1nthe*wagon; or, a boy may place one knee in the wagon and propel the wagon from the side while efi'ectingthe steering by'meansof the steering handle ap plied to the front socket-member D.

durable.

socket-member. 1

The sides 4 of the wagon-body are shown extended rearwardly, as indicated at and the upper portions of the side-members 7 which rise from thestep t are shown conp -nect ed with the extensions'et by means of screws 22. In effect, the 'foot board 7 and side-members T are a rigid portion of the. wagon-body, corresponding in height with the braces 2. which support the front end of the body.

It will be noted that the shaft G is also provided with notches 16 which engage either the rivet 13," (Fig. 6) on the front socket-member or the rivet E (Fig. 8) on the rear.socketnnember. Thus the stress of steering is: taken by these rivets, the cotterpin 20 serving only to retain the steering shaft in the socket-member.

It will be readily understood .by those skilled in the; art that the improved wagon is'capable of being'used in a variety of ways, enabling novel effects to be'gained, Moreover, theconstruction is simple, staunch and The foregoing detailed description has been given for 'clearness of understanding only, and nounnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, but the-appended claims should be construed as broadly'as permissible in view of the prior art.

' What I regard asnew, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: V

'1; In a coaster wagon, a body, parallel front and rear steering posts journalled therein and geared ,togetl1er,tl1e front post carrying a pivotedtubular socket-member --and the rear post carrying a fixed tubular socket-member, a, front-axle carrying the frontv steering post, wheels journalled on said axle, wheels'supporting the rear'portion of said body, anda steering-handle having a shaft adapted v-tofit in either of said socke'tanembers and interlock therewith,

and means for securing said shaft in either 2.1m a coaster wagon, front and rear steering posts provided, respectively, with pivoted andYfixed;socket-members, a steering-handle having a shaft adapted for connection with either socket-member. and, connecting devices permitting limited telescoping of said shaft with t-hefront socket member and greater telescoping of said shaft wit-h the rear socket-member. r

3. In coaster wagon, a body-box having a short platform extension projecting back of the'rear end wall, afront steering post ,journa'lled at the front portionrof said box and carrying a pivoted. socket-member, a

"rear'steering post journalled through said platform-extension ,and equipped with a socket-member, gear connections between said posts below sald box, a front axle sec-uredtothe front steering post, a rear axle supporting the rearrportion of said box, a

Step adjacent the rear axle and at a distance ,front portion equipped with depending braces equipped with it turn-plate and h ing its rear portion equipped "with'arigidf depending extension carrying 2|.- s'tep accessible from the rear, an axle supporting sand extension, a :tront steering-post journulled said steering-posts.

5. A coaster wagon comprising a body hav ing its :tront end equlpped W1th a depending tin'n-plateand having its rear end equipped with rigid depending side-members connected at their lower ends by a step, a front steering post jonrnalled in the front portion of said body and through said turn-plate, a l rontaxle rigidly connected with the lower end of said steering post, at pivoted socketnienilier connected with the upper portion of said steering post, 2i 1'0211' steering post journnlled in the rear portion of said body in front oil? the plane of said step and provided with be socketnneinber, gen-r connections between said steering posts, and a steeringhandle adaptable to either of said socketlnelnbers. r

NVALTER R. KOHLER. 

